Kinda hard to stick up for the Russians on this one... I mean opening game your on home ice against a lesser opponent. You'd think you would come out flying and just absolutely run over them. Maybe Russia just isnt capable of that. The defense looked awful!!! No Naumenkov or Zadorov is going to kill this team. I don't care if they have 5 defense who play 3 minutes a night in the KHL they couldn't win battles against the Slovaks. Poor Russia another terrible tournament ahead on home ice.